WORLD XV
15 FULLBACK
Serge Blanco (France)
This may seem a bit of a strange choice because he comes from another era entirely when the game was quite different.
But I think that almost alone he ushered in the era of the modern fullback, one who saw himself as the first line of attack rather than the last line of defence.
I know he had a terrifically long career - he first played against the All Blacks in 1977 - but he never seemed to lose form or influence.
I used to love watching his loping running style and how he'd get to places opponents could never have thought he'd reach.
14 RIGHT WING
David Campese (Australia)
Campese could be brilliant, was one of those invaluable players who could do something utterly unexpected that could change a game.
His skills were superb - remember that try he scored against the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-final in Dublin in 1991?
I've seen it since on video and I doubt many other players could have brought that off.
As long as he was fit, Australia could never leave him out, whether he was on the wing or at fullback.
He was one of those players who graced the game and whose value may not have been fully appreciated until he was gone.
13 CENTRE
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
It was unfortunate that New Zealanders didn't see much of him with the Lions in 2005.
He's a very fine player - like the best of centres, he makes the right decisions at the right times and when he decides to go on his own, he can be a difficult man to stop.
He's got strength, speed and a respectable sidestep.
12 SECOND FIVE-EIGHTH
Jeremy Guscott (England)
They don't call the positions centre and second-five in Britain - that's a purely New Zealand habit.
The British and Irish treams play the two-centre game, which is slightly different to what we do.
Guscott was a great servant of England and Lions rugby and I don't think New Zealanders generally appreciate how good he was.
Like all good midfielders, he was strong on defence despite his relatively slight build, but perhaps his greatest strength was his ability on attack.
He seemed to need just the sniff of a chance of a break and he was off and his speed and agility made him a difficult man to pin down.
11 LEFT WING
Lote Tuqiri (Australia)
This may seem a bit of a strange choice because he hasn't been playing rugby for all that long - for less time than me in fact!
He's got huge talent, though, and I know he's a marked man whenever New Zealand teams are against him.
It's just that he's such a strong, powerful runner with the ball and a very difficult man to stop.
Like a lot of former league players, he knows instinctively how to run lines well and like most Australians, he's great with the ball in the air.
10 FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH
Jonny Wilkinson (England)
The position is flyhalf in England, standoff or out-half in other places, but we know what it is.
We also know how good Jonny Wilkinson is, and not just because he dropkicked the goal that won England the World Cup in 2003.
Clive Woodward would have done anything to get Wilkinson into his teams, and for good reason.
He's a very complete rugby palyer, much more than just the kicking first-five he's often accused of being.
He reads a game well, he runs well, he's got all the skills, and he's never been noted for failing on defence.
Fully fit, he's probably the best first-five England has ever had.
9 HALFBACK
Nick Farr-Jones (Australia)
You probably thought George Gregan had been playing for Australia for so long that you'd forgotten there were other halfbacks before him.
Well, as good as George has been, Nick Farr-Jones is my choice.
I always admired him when I was a youngster because he seemed always to have unflappable control behind the scrum and always seemed to somehow gain enough time to do what he had to do.
He never seemed rushed or panicked.
He had a terrific pass, could kick well, and he was also a good running halfback - all the qualities a good halfback needs.
He was the captain as well.
He was crucial to the Wallabies' World Cup win in 1991.
NO 8
Gary Teichmann (South Africa)
Through the mid to late 90's, he was one of the leading forwards in the world and he always seemed a handful when playing against New Zealand teams.
South Africian forwards are known for their bulk and competitiveness rather than their skill, which is a bit unfair on some of them.
Teichmann was one of those players who had the skill as well as a fierce commitment.
I never palyed against him, but I'm sure those that did would have respected him for his ability and for what he was capable of.
He was the Springboks' captain for 36 of his 42 tests and that says a lot for his value.
7 OPENSIDE FLANKER
George Smith (Australia)
He's probably not Justin Marshall's greatest mate, but he's a fine player - as anyone who has ever played against him, or even just seen him play, would acknowledge.
He's the classic Aussie 'breakaway' - into everything all day, never ceasing to try to win the ball for his team and never ceasing to be a thorn in the side of his opponents.
Like any good openside, and he's among the best, he tests the laws to their limits and it sometimes seems, as with Richie McCaw, that he knows more about the tackle ball law than the referees do.
Smith is one of those players I'd love to be in the same team as some time.
6 BLINDSIDE FLANKER
Schalk Burger (South Africa)
I don't particularly enjoy him coming at me in matches nor do I especially admire him pointing at me from the back of the lineout, but I happily admit he's a fine player.
It's easy to forget how young he is and that he's only been playing at the top level since 204.
He's a big man but really fit and very fast and he's got an all-action game.
He seems to pop up all over the field, throwing his body around.
He's the ideal South African flanker - big enough to combat the size of the forwards they produce but fit enough and fast enough to make a huge difference in the loose.
5 LOCK
John Eales (Australia)
Was there anything this man could not do?
He was among the best lineout forwards in the world, if not the best; he was one of the strengths of the Australian pack; he was a great captain and when there was no one else to do the job, he'd kick goals as well.
Then he'd make the after-match speeches.
Is there anyone in New Zealand watching that day in Wellington who will ever forget him nonchalantly kicking the last-minute goal to win the test?
As New Zealanders, we admire the complete allround rugby player.
4 LOCK
Martin Johnson (England) (captain)
John Hart knew something when he plucked the gangly youth called Martin Johnson out of the King Country and put him in his New Zealand Colts side.
The only problem was that Johnson was English and was returning to England.
Pity.
He was the dominant forward in the world in his day and for England and the Lions, an inspirational captain.
I've no doubt he was the key factor in England winning the World Cup in 2003 and I'm sure he would have made a difference with the Lions in 2005.
He was hard and uncompromising on the field - precisely what you want.
3 TIGHTHEAD PROP
Os Du Randt (South Africa)
His build is impressive and his fitness and attitude even more so.
I've had the pleasure - if that's the right word - of playing against him and can see from close up just what an asset he is to his teams.
He may be getting long in the tooth for a rugby player, but I bet his teams would rather have him than not.
He is one of the last still playing from the South African side that beat the All Blacks in the World Cup final in 1995, and now has a second winners medal, being part of the victorious team in the 2007 tournament.
2 HOOKER
Phil Kearns (Australia)
I never played against Phil Kearns but he is still a very well known figure in the game, probably because of his television comments role.
I know the All Blacks used to rate him highly and he seemed to save his competitive, annoying best for when he was playing for Australia against New Zealand.
I'm told he and Sean Fitzpatrick used to snarl away at each other in the tight stuff, so perhaps it's just as well my teams don't actually play.
From my observations, guys like Kearns and John Eales made all the difference to Australian forward play on the 1990's.
1 LOOSEHEAD PROP
Ollie Le Roux (South Africa)
If I'd said Andre-Henri Le Roux, you wouldn't have known who I was talking about.
But surely everyone knows of Ollie Le Roux, the genial giant who played for the Sharks before moving to the Cheetahs.
He's one of the great characters of world rugby and also one of the great veterans, having been around since the start of Super 12.
He's technically a very good prop - so I'm told - and brings to the field an infectious enthusiasm.
He spent a lot of time on the bench for South Africa so maybe that's why he's all energy when he gets on the field.